Oil well drilling swivel



May 18, 1937. SMH-H 2,080,512

OIL WELL DRILLING SWIVEL Filed NOV. 5, 1936 wall/W INVENTOR. LfSL /f L. M/TH.

A/TTORNEK Patented May 18, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF'ICE- OIL WELL DRILLING SWIVEL Leslie L. Smith, Oklahoma City, Okla.

Application November 5, 1936, Serial No. 109,298

4 Claims.

This invention 'relates to an oil well rotary drilling swivel. Swivels of this type support the entire weight of the drill pipe and tool string in the well. This load in a deep well becomes very excessive reaching at times to 250 tons. This load constantly rotating on the bearings in the swivel creates intense heat, which results in removing the temper from the bearings and soon destroying the swivel.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a swivel of this character through which cooling water will be constantly circulated to remove the excess bearing heat and to maintain the swivel and its bearing at a low temperature at all times.

Another object is to combine a water cooling feature with an oil well swivel in such a way as not to interfere with the operation of the swivel, its bearings or its lubrication system.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and eiciency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the novel swivel.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof, partially in section to illustrate the interior construction.

The usual parts of a typical swivel are indicated in the drawing by numeral as follows: bail I; goose neck II sleeve I2; roller bearing I3. The bearing I3 is mounted in an oil reservoir I4 provided with a drain plug I5. The bail I0 terminates in eyes 2l which are hingedly mounted on gudgeons I6, projecting from the oil reservoir I4.

The invention is applied to the swivel by casting a water jacket I'! about the oil reservoir I4. 'Ihe jacket is formed with sockets I8 about the eyes 2| of the bail I0.

Water is fed to the jacket, II through a feed nipple I9 and discharges from the jacket through a similar discharge nipple 20.

In a deep well the load upon the bearing I3 is sufficiently great to heat the bearings rollers and their races and the oil in the reservoir I4. In

this invention, however, the wall of the reservoir and the wall adjacent the bearing I3 are completely surrounded by water; so that the oil and the bearings are kept at a low temperature at all times.

The nipples Iliand 20 are connected by means of suitable hoses 22 to any suitable water circulating and cooling system. These hoses can hang from suitable water pipes in the derrick similar to the present method of supplying mud to the goose neck II.

Vihile a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Let-ters Patent 1. An oil well drilling swivel comprising: a sleeve for supporting the drill pipe; a thrust bearing for supporting the sleeve; an oil reservoir surrounding said thrust bearing; a water jacket surrounding said oil reservoir; and a bail for 25 supporting said swivel.

2. An oil well drilling swivel comprising: a sleeve for supporting the drill pipe; a thrust bearing for supporting t-he sleeve; an oil reser- Voir surrounding said thrust bearing; a water jacket surrounding said oil reservoir; a bail for supporting said swivel; said bail being positioned in a pocket in water jacket.

3. An oil well drilling swivel comprising: a sleeve for supporting the drill pipe; a thrust bearing for supporting the sleeve; an oil reservoir surrounding said thrust bearing; a water jacket surrounding said oil reservoir; and a bail for supporting said swivel; a plug for draining the oil from said oil reservoir; and nipples for supplying circulating water to said water jacket.

4. An oil well drilling swivel comprising: a sleeve for supporting the drill pipe; a thrust bearing for supporting the sleeve; an oil reservoir surrounding said thrust bearing; a water jack- 4,. et surrounding said oil reservoir; and a bail for supporting said swivel; said waterjacket extending above the position of said bearing to radiate heat from said bearing.

LESLIE L. SMITH. 

